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“Political candidates and people in public life now literally repeat the rhetoric of white supremacists,” said Anti-Defamation League CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt. | Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

Anti-Semitism has moved 'into the mainstream,' ADL director says

Anti-Semitism has “moved from the margins into the mainstream,” Anti-Defamation League CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt said Sunday.

His remarks on NBC’s “Meet the Press” came a day after a gunman fatally shot 11 and injured seven others in Pittsburgh in the deadliest attack on a synagogue in U.S. history.

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The tragedy can be linked to concurrent political rhetoric, Greenblatt said.

“Political candidates and people in public life now literally repeat the rhetoric of white supremacists,” Greenblatt said. “They think it’s normal and permissible to talk about Jewish conspiracies, manipulating events or Jewish financers somehow controlling activities. And that is awful.”

Social media is accentuating the pattern, he continued, suggesting tech giants should aid in addressing the phenomenon.

“Not only is the political environment contributing to this, social media is amplifying and accelerating it in shocking ways,” Greenblatt said. “Silicon Valley is a part of the problem and needs to be a part of the solution.”

President Donald Trump, addressing the attack at a political rally Saturday in Illinois, expressed shock that anti-Semitic acts took place “in this day and age.” But his surprise was misplaced, Greenblatt said.

“Unfortunately, he’s wrong on that,” Greenblatt said. “We are living in a moment where anti-Semitism is almost becoming normalized. And that should shock and move all of us to act.”